What a better start in Rioja than with the perfect pairing! Of course, the wine of La Rioja never comes alone. Wherever you find good wine, you will find good food. La Rioja is a prime example of this.We will go to the historic quarter and enjoy the lively par excellence dining Pintxo* Bars of the Riojan capital with the wine educator, introducing us to the virtues of pairing Rioja and other Spanish wine styles with food. As a “master of wine”, the wine educator will have a fine palate and will readily distinguish one wine from another and how we can determine the appropriateness of matching food with apt wine styles.

*Pintxos are North Spain’s equivalent of Tapas, often presented on a wooden skewer.

1st day: Cultural day

The journey into the Rioja Wine Country will begin at the Dinastía Vivanco Museum of Wine Culture, considered the best in the world in which every aspect of wine is covered. In this great museum (the result of a passion for wine of a Riojan family of winemakers) you will discover all the processes involved in turning grapes into our star product and, particularly, the influence that wine has had on culture throughout the world, with exhibits from ancient Egypt, Rome, and Greece to modern Picassos.Then, we will enjoy our lunch in the most traditional Riojan way, in a real Txoko*, with the typical grilled meat grilled over vine shoots fire.After learning about the history and experiencing unique food, we will move to the practice. The best way is to visit the vineyards and walk among them, discovering their changing beauty from one season to the next. You will be a winemaker for a day, being the protagonist of an ancient tradition: Viticulture. In other words, the cultivation of grapevines and the production of wine. With the guidance of a professional you’ll be able to carry out different activities in the vineyards and winery, as well as acquire in-depth knowledge of all the work associated to producing a good Rioja wine.

*Txoko is a type of closed gastronomical society where people come together to cook, experiment with new ways of cooking, eat and socialize

2ndday: Rioja Alta

It is said that the wine supply in Rioja Alta is one of the richest of Spain and probably the world.
Each town has its own wine tourism offer, from the smallest village to the capital of La Rioja Alta, Haro, with its famous Station Quarter.In the late 19th century, wineries were built close to the railway station. Today they are among the great names of Rioja wine, universal references. Walking through this area is like walking through history.We will visit two of the most historical wineries in Rioja, and you will realize how they have evolved architecturally, artistically and, of course, in their winemaking, learning the history of winemaking and wine traditions to become the modern winemakers we see today; finally, we will taste some of the most classic Rioja wines.After this, we will have lunch in a 17th century cellar, completely remodeled and transformed into a restaurant. We will enjoy one of the most delicious dishes in Rioja: roasted pig in a wood fired oven.To complete the day, we will visit one of the Most Charming Wineries of Rioja Alta, located within the walled enclosure of the 14th century castle. Also, we will be able to see the vineyards inside its fortifications and taste their high-quality wines.

3rd day: Rioja Alavesa

Rioja Alavesa is situated between the Ebro River and the Cantabria Mountains, giving this region a privileged microclimate for vine cultivation.The most amazing thing is the mix between the traditional production processes with new technologies; you will be able to sample everything from vintages aged in medieval caves through wines produced in the most avant-garde installations.We will start the day in Laguardia, a beautifully kept 13th century fortified town, that still conserves all the charm of old medieval village set between vineyards, where we will have the opportunity of personally speaking to the owner of a Family Winery, who after the experience his family acquired as winegrowers, decided to build this winery in order to produce and sell high quality wines.Then, we will enjoy a very unique winery experience — a blast to the past of winemaking in Rioja, where Underground Cellars were once used to produce a mature wine. You will walk through the two wineries located in the cellar, see century-old winemaking tools and then sample the wines that are still made on premise. We will have lunch in the winery where we will enjoy the most typical menu of Rioja: potatoes with chorizo Rioja style and grilled lamb cutlets with peppers.After this, we will visit an Avant-Garde Winery, a building that combines functionality and aesthetics, designed by the world's most prestigious architects where wine is the true protagonist, it is a must-see!

4th day: Adventurous day

If you love outdoor adventure activities, you will have the opportunity of enjoying the incredible landscape of vineyards during the last morning of the tour.Rioja is known to be a great outdoor adventure destination. This is due to the fact that we have great weather and a variety of geographical features including forests, mountains, plains, lakes and rivers.These include activities such as Horseback Riding, Bike Tour, Segway, Kayaking, Paragliding and Balloon Flights; choose the activity you like the most!Or…
You can visit one of the great ancient wine cellars in the Rioja capital. It is home to some of the legendary names of the wines of Rioja and of Spain, you will walk through the nooks and crannies of the centennial cellar, finishing with a tasting of the most emblematic wines of the wine cellar.

Traveling to Rioja:

The best option to travel to Rioja is by plane, flying into which is 140 km from Logroño, the capital of La Rioja; other options could be by car from Madrid (which is 330 km from Logroño) or from Barcelona (which is 520 Km from Logroño.

By land you can reach from the 3 cities by car, bus or train, there are several departures a day, making it convenient too all Rioja visitors.

Transportation from Bilbao to Logroño can be arranged thru us at an additional cost. Let us know in advance if you required this service.

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Accessibility and Restrictions

This tour is suitable for a passenger who is able to walk laboriously short distances (100-200 meters) and no traveling with a foldable wheelchair.

This tour is suitable for a passenger who is 100 % confined to a wheelchair and only travels in a motorized wheelchair or a scooter. These chairs can weigh anywhere between 150-300 pounds and they will require inbound transportation with elevators or hydraulic

ramps. Passenger must inform at time of booking of the requirement.

Passengers with reduced mobility or who can travel with a folding wheelchair will have at least one step to get in/out transportation and driver or guide will assist passenger without restrictions when assisting.

There are benches or chairs during the entire tour and can be used for passengers. These are in different places throughout the tour.

There are not any restrictions for the passenger, should they wish to wait or stay in the vehicle during any portion of the tour.

There will be space for up to three foldable wheelchairs in the transportation van which it can hold up to 9 passengers.

There are sections of the tour that are not accessible to people with reduced mobility, but tour operator will adviseon the other options for these passengers.

Transportation vehicles are not equipped with hydraulic ramps for easy access to wheelchairs, but can be arranged if booked in advance.

Not all places are equipped with disabled ramps or elevators and toilets for disable passengers, but can been arranged if booked in advance.

There are not any specialized vehicles for passengers who are confined to a wheelchair, but they can be booked with advance notice. Two folding wheelchairs can be accommodated in the vehicle. Also, they will require a private guide and an additional charge will apply for this private service.

This tour may also accommodate:

Blind passengers

Passengers who cannot listen well or are deaf-mute

Diabetic passengers requiring to bring a refrigerator to store their medication

A service animal can be accommodated in all places throughout the tour

The vehicle used during the tour is equipped with restraint systems that can safely secure a baby or child traveling in the tour

If the passengers needs / uses oxygen, a small oxygen tank can be accommodated in the transportation or during the tour.

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Climate

The climate is mainly continental. The Rioja Alta comarca receives more precipitation than Rioja Baja. The average temperature ranges from 11.8–31.8 °C (53.2–89.2 °F) and the precipitation ranges between 300–600 mm (12–24 in) as an annual average. The wind called Cierzo is very frequent around La Rioja during the winter.

The mountains surrounding Rioja affect the wind and rainfall patterns and help to keep summer temperatures moderate. They also encourage the critical night-time temperature drops that preserve acidity in the ripening grapes. Thanks to the mountains, Rioja’s footprint resembles an inverted V, with the widest part facing the Mediterranean. As a result, Rioja’s vineyards are affected by three distinct climate zones: some vineyards are subject to cool, moist weather from the Atlantic; others, protected by the mountains, experience a more temperate Continental climate; and still others bask in Mediterranean warmth.